News

Noble Herb Richardson

August 2018

Wow, here it is August already and we are all set for our Tualatin Valley Shrine Club annual picnic at Cook Park in Tigard on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 starting at 5:00 pm. We are going to be at the same place as years past. To find it, upon entering Cook Park on 92nd Avenue, proceed to the first street on the left and go to the end which will be a turn-around with parking. We will be in the shelter just to the South of the parking lot.

This year’s picnic is going to be about the same as last year. The Shrine Club will be providing everything from soup to nuts. Actually, we will not be serving soup but we will have lots of nuts along with some wonderful surprises in the way of nourishment. Surprises, because I have no idea what is in store for us in the food line. Come and be surprised along with me. We have invited the Oriental Band to join us for the feast and to offer some entertainment. I can guarantee you that you will enjoy this event. So, make your plans now and get this on your calendars right this minute.

Although there will be no meeting this month I will continue to offer these short Oasis articles to keep you informed, as best I can, as to what is going on relative to the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club. So, stay tuned and stay informed.

With all of that in mind, our next business meeting will be at the Peppermill Restaurant on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at 1800. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

See you at the picnic.

Noble Herb Richardson

July 2018

Our Tualatin Valley Shrine Club is still dark which
provides us many opportunities to enjoy our summer
vacations and other activities. I will continue to make
a concerted effort to keep everyone informed as to
what is going on in our Masonic family throughout
the dark period of the club. The single thing on my
radar screen right now is our Shrine Club annual
picnic at Cook Park in Tigard on Wednesday, August
15th starting at 5:00 pm. I have no idea what the bill-
of-fare will be but I am sure our president will come
up with something to please our palates. Ladies feel
free to bring a “small” desert of your choosing. As in
past years we have again invited the Award Winning
Al Kader Oriental Band to join us for the picnic and
provide our entertainment. You will not want to miss
this so get it on your calendar right now.

We were just informed that Maddie Pratt has
resigned as the West Queen for the All-Star Football
Game this August. Becca Mobley was asked to fill
this vacancy and she has accepted. We are very
sorry to have lost Maddie but feel that Becca will be
successful in fulfilling the responsibilities of the West
Queen. Let’s all wish her well.

Although there are no meetings planned for the next
couple of months I will continue to offer these short
Oasis articles to keep you informed, as best I can,
as to what is going on relative to the Tualatin Valley
Shrine Club. So, stay tuned and stay informed.

With all of that in mind, our next event is the picnic
on Wednesday, August 15th at 5:00 pm and our next business meeting will be at the Peppermill
Restaurant on Wednesday, September 19th at 6:00
pm. If anything changes between now and then I’ll
let you know by mail, email or phone call. Hope to
see all of you at the picnic and don’t forget the new
time and place for our September meeting.

Have a great and safe 4th.

Noble Herb Richardson

June 2018

We had a small but jovial attendance for our
meeting at the Peppermill Restaurant in March.
I think the change in time and location threw
some folks off kilter. It was nice to be back at the
Peppermill, so maybe it will get better when we re-convene in the fall. Thanks to all who ventured out
for the meeting and comradery.

For our meeting in May (which has obviously
passed) I have no idea what is on-tap for a
meeting agenda or any form of entertainment or enlightenment. It will all be a big surprise. But
I hope most of you members came out to join in
the festivities no matter what the leadership was
throwing at us.

As has been previously announced at our meetings
for the past two months, the Tualatin Valley Shrine
Club will NOT be meeting in June, July or August
so enjoy your summer vacations. Our next event
will be our annual picnic at Cook Park in Tigard
at the same fine shelter as in years past and we
look forward to another good turn-out. The date is
Wednesday, August 15th from 5:00 pm until 8:00
pm. So, mark that on your calendars right now. I
have no idea what the bill-of-fare will be but I’m
sure the leadership will come up with something
in the way of a menu or plan. As always, our ladies
should feel free to bring a “small” desert of your
choosing.

Our next business meeting will be at the Peppermill
Restaurant in Aloha on Wednesday, September 19th
at 6 p.m., but come early for some social time. If
anything changes between now and then I’ll let you
know by mail, email or phone call.

Enjoy your summer.

Noble Herb Richardson

May 2018

We had a great turnout for our March meeting at the Beaverton ELKS Club for our March meeting. We had several important issues on the agenda and that always seems to get the folks out to be a part of the decision making process. Whatever the reason, we are glad if you were there.

One issue that was very late in getting approval for, was for the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club to sponsor The East-West Football Queen selection from the West. The proposal to Support Queen Madison Pratt was approved unanimously and a pledge of $500.00 was made to support her reign. Madison is the granddaughter of Illustrious Sir Ard Pratt and Lady Carol.

For our meeting in April (which is obviously past) we are returning to the Peppermill Restaurant which had served us for many years. Many members were not satisfied with the ELKS in Beaverton as a warm, friendly, and social atmosphere so the members present at the March meeting decided it was time to return to our old haunt as our Wednesday evening meeting place.

I don’t think it was announced but we will probably not be meeting in June, July or August so enjoy your summer vacations. Our next event will be our annual picnic at Cook Park in Tigard at the same fine shelter as in years past and we look forward to another good turn-out. The date is Wednesday, August 15th from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. So mark your calendars right now. I’m not sure what the bill-of-fare will be but I am sure President Bill will come up with something for us all to enjoy. Maybe we’ll invite the Oriental Band again this year for our entertainment. They are always fun. Ladies should always feel free to bring a “small” desert of your choosing.

Don’t forget that the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club will be meeting at the Peppermill Restaurant in Aloha. Our next meeting will be May 16th at 1800 but come early for some social time.

Happy May Day, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. Enjoy your summer.

Noble Herb Richardson

April 2018

I hope you are all as ready for some spring weather
and getting outdoors again as I am. Also, as a
member of the Oriental Band, I am looking for ward
to our Parade Season. The first one is this month in
The Dalles. So, bring on the spring weather and the
cherry blossoms. I am ready.

It was most unfortunate that we missed having our
meeting in mid-February but as you may recall, the
club officers wisely canceled it due to the wintry
weather we were having. As a result we missed
having to vote on two issues which, hopefully, were
covered during the March meeting. The two issues were an approval to finance the support for
this year’s West Football Queen Madison Pratt.
Madison is the granddaughter of Illustrious Sir
Ard Pratt and Lady Carol.

The other issue was a confirmation of a
reservation for this year’s annual Tualatin Valley
Shrine Club picnic. Noble Ellenson was ready to
confirm our reservation for the Cook Park picnic
shelter we have had in years past. Hopefully that
has been accomplished and we can look for ward
to our picnic on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at
Cook Park in Tigard in the same location under
shelter #4 starting at 5:00pm.

Last year at this time we indicated that there
was going to be a change and that was that we
were going back to the Beaverton Elks. Starting
in September we were going to be meeting at
the Elks Club in Beaverton at 12 noon for buffet
lunch and business meetings. Well change is
not always that great and sometimes does not
work out the way you planned. There have
been several complaints about the new location,
meals, and time. I think there was probably
a discussion brought up on floor during the
meeting of March 21st about another change.
Let us see how that went on in another article
next month.

The next business meeting and lunch will be at
the Beaverton ELKS at 12 noon on Wednesday,
April 18, 2018. If anything changes between now
and then somebody will let you know by mail,
email or phone call.

I hope you have a Blessed Easter and are looking
forward to wonderful things in the months to
come.

Noble Herb Richardson

March 2018

Well I am sorry to say that my well-intended and well written article did not get published in the February Oasis. I guess there were more important things and a gob of pictures that took up all of the valuable space. At any rate, I wanted to thank all the Nobles and ladies who came out for the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club meeting and December Christmas Giving event and to thank the new club officers for stepping up to the plate and keeping us going for another year. In case you missed the succession of power your new President is Bill Sparks; 1st Vice President, Bob Strong; 2nd Vice President, Ralph Jubb; Secretary, John Wilde; and Treasurer, Rod Hevland. Thanks to the Potentate Elect Art Hermanson for administrating the oath of office. Congratulations to all the new officers and we are looking forward to an exciting and bountiful 2018.

I have nothing on my agenda for this month’s meeting in the way of entertainment or enlightenment. I know Rod gave me some information about some possible speakers coming up in the next couple of months but I’ve got nothing on my agenda radar for this month. See what happens when you are no longer in the information mainstream? Maybe one of the officers will give us a clue as to plans for the March meeting. And don’t forget to bring those bottles and cans to the next meeting for our recycling fund raiser.

The next business meeting and lunch will be at the Beaverton ELKS at 12 noon on Wednesday, March 21, 2018. If anything changes between now and then somebody will let you know by mail, email or phone call. My email address is still richardsonherb@comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

January 2018

If you missed the December Christmas Party I am going to have to make some assumptions as to what happened. My first assumption is that it was at the Beaverton ELKS as scheduled and that everyone brought an unwrapped child’s toy as requested. The toys were to be picked up during the meeting by the local Marine Corps Recruiting office for local distribution as part of the Toys-For-Tots toy drive. Thanks to all who did bring a toy.

It is also assumed (I am making these assumptions as the meeting on December 20th has not yet occurred) that the club had a final vote on the new officers for the year 2018 and they were properly installed. If all went according to plan the new officers for the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club are: President, Bill Sparks; 1st Vice President, Bob Strong; 2nd Vice President, Ralph Jubb; Secretary, John Wilde; and Treasurer, Rod Hevland. If it did not happen as planned I will send out a correction in the next issue.

I have nothing on my agenda for this month’s meeting in the way of entertainment or enlightenment. (Is that a good word?) Oh, well, it works for me. If we come up with a speaker or interesting presenter for the January meeting, I will put a notice in the email. And don’t forget to bring those bottles and cans to the next meeting for our recycling fund raiser.

The next business meeting and lunch will be at the Beaverton ELKS at 12 noon on Wednesday, January 17, 2018. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@ comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

Happy New Year.

2017

Noble Herb Richardson

December 2017

This is hard to believe but December is here already and Christmas is well upon us. So, speaking of Christmas, I’ll put this plan right up front. At our Christmas meeting on December 20th we will be doing something a little different this year. As was explained at the November meeting we are to bring an unwrapped child present to the meeting. They will be collected and delivered to a local charity for distribution to local needy children.

We hope you attended our November meeting and heard our guest speaker Jessica Chandler from Washington County speak to us about scamming. A very interesting presentation that brought to the forefront a serious problem that we all have faced at one time or other.

By this time our treasurer has gotten notices to everyone that it is time for us to pony up next year’s dues payment. I think the dues are still $20.00 but I must check with our Treasurer to make sure.

We were scheduled to have elections for Tualatin Valley Shrine Club Officers for the year 2018 during the November meeting. We will have a final vote and election with installation planned for this December meeting.

The next business meeting and dinner will be at the ELKS Club, 3463 SW 106th Ave., Beaverton at 1230 on Wednesday, December 20, 2017. We will meet at 12-noon for social activities. The cost of the lunch is $15.00 and pay at the door. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Noble Herb Richardson

November 2017

What a great turnout we had for our first meeting at the new ELKS club in Beaverton in September. We had two complaints -- There weren’t enough chairs for everyone and the sandwiches were too big. Now if that is all the complaints we get for the rest of the year, I can live with that. Thanks to Rod and Bob Strong for setting this up for us. Excellent job guys. Oh, and you too, Sherry. There was also a suggestion that we needed to have some social time before the meeting so instead of starting earlier it was decided by the “management” to delay the start of the meeting until 12:30 with a quick opening and then right to the lunch buffet.

I know this is a crazy thing to mention but it is time to start the planning for a Shrine Club Christmas Party for next month. If you have an idea for a Christmas event theme or some form of entertainment, please let us know now so we can get some plans put in place. Perhaps a singing group or instrumental. Maybe a different time and place. Give us your ideas to work with and we’ll get moving. We’ll plan on having the Christmas party on our regular meeting date of December 20th.

We should have had the first nominations for Tualatin Valley Shrine Club Officers for the year 2018 during the October meeting. At this month’s meeting we will have a final vote and election with installation planned for the December meeting.

The next business meeting and lunch will be at the Beaverton ELKS Club, 3463 SW 106th Ave., Beaverton at 12:30. We will meet at noon for social activity. The cost of the lunch is $15.00 and pay at the door. The correct change would be appreciated. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

Have a great Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps on November 10th.

Noble Herb Richardson

October 2017

Here it is October already and time to get ready for the trick-or-treaters. The next thing you know we will be talking about a wonderful Christmas in the path of the dreaded winter season which will be upon us before we know it.

I hope you all enjoyed the annual Tualatin Valley Shrine Club picnic in August which was the biggest and best we have ever had. And I also hope that you also enjoyed the fellowship and entertainment provided by the members of the award winning Al Kader Oriental Band and their ladies who came out to join in the festivities. So, to the loyal members of the Oriental Band a big THANK YOU.

This month we will hold our first nominations for new officers of the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club for 2018. So, get those future leaders ready to step up to the plate and willing to serve us next year. A final vote will be held in November with installation in December 2017. Just a reminder that the current slate of officers has served a second consecutive term and are not eligible for a third term. I am not sure what is planned for October’s speaker or entertainment but we are always open to your suggestions. Also, with the new time and place for our meetings we need your input as to the success or failure of this change. Let us know your thoughts.

I really don’t have much else to report on this month so I’ll just say that our next business meeting and lunch will be at the Beaverton ELKS at 12 noon on Wednesday, October 18, 2017. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@ comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

Happy Halloween.

Noble Herb Richardson

September 2017

Tualatin Valley Shrine Club by Noble Herb Richardson

I cannot believe that it is September already and the summer time fun, parades, picnics, and time at the beach are memories for many. Not so for Maureen and me as we head off to Hawaii in just a few days. Aloha. Nevertheless it is time put away the toys of summer and get back to business. Oh, and let us not forget to mind those school speed zones once more.

The Tualatin Valley Shrine Club should be very proud of our sponsored Queen Rebecca Mobley as the West Queen who represented us so well at the East-West Game in Baker City on August 5th. Thanks to all for your support.

Thanks also to everyone for coming out to our annual picnic in August but some special thanks go out to the Oriental Band for joining in the fun and for the entertainment. Much thanks also to the ladies for bringing those cookies and desserts.

I really don’t have much else to report on this month so I’ll just say that our next business meeting and buffet lunch will be at the ELKS Club in Beaverton at 12 noon on Wednesday, September 20, 2017. The Beaverton ELKS is located at 3464 SW 106th Ave., Beaverton.

Remember to turn on 106th Ave. not the old route on 104th. Nobles remember to bring your Fez but please DO NOT wear it into the club. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

My email address is richardsonherb@comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711

Have a safe Labor Day.

Noble Herb Richardson

August 2017

Wow, here it is August already and we are all set for our Tualatin Valley Shrine Club annual picnic at Cook Park in Tigard on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 starting at 5:00 pm. We are going to be at the same place as years past. To find it, upon entering Cook Park on 92nd Ave., proceed to the first street on the left and go to the end which will be a turnaround with parking. We will be in the shelter just to the South of the parking lot.

This year’s picnic is going to be about the same as last year. The Shrine Club will be providing everything from soup to nuts. Actually, we will not be serving soup but we will have lots of nuts along with fried chicken, wonderful “Ralph Jubb” baked beans, potato salad, and more. Ladies feel free to bring along some cookies as dessert. We have, again, invited the Al Kader Oriental Band to join us for the feast and to offer some entertainment. I can guarantee you that you will enjoy this event.

So, make your plans now and get this on your calendars right this minute.

Although there will be no meeting this month I will continue to offer these short Oasis articles to keep you informed, as best I can, as to what is going on relative to the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club. So, stay tuned and stay informed.

With all of that in mind, our next business meeting will be at the Beaverton ELKS Club at 3464 SW 106th Ave., Beaverton, Oregon 97005 at 12 noon on Wednesday, September 20, 2017. Please make note of the change in time and location. Nobles, remember to bring your Fez but DO NOT wear it into the club. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

See you at the picnic.

Noble Herb Richardson

July 2017

Our Tualatin Valley Shrine Club is still in darkness which provides us the many opportunities to enjoy our summer vacations and other activities. I will continue to make a concerted effort to keep everyone informed as to what is going on in our Masonic family throughout the dark period of the club. The single thing on my radar screen right now is our Shrine Club annual picnic at Cook Park in Tigard on Wednesday, August 16th starting at 5:00 pm. We will keep the same bill-of-fare as last year with fried chicken and all the fixings provided by the club. Ladies feel free to bring a “small” desert of your choosing. As in past years we have again invited the Award Winning Al Kader Oriental Band to join us for the picnic and provide our entertainment. You will not want to miss this so get it on your calendar right now.

If you were at the May meeting you know that we bid a fond farewell to the Peppermill Restaurant that has been our home away from home for many years. If you were not in attendance then you need to know that in September we will be meeting at 12 noon on the third Wednesday at the Beaverton ELKS. Next month I will provide some information on how to get to the club and a few of the new rules we will want to abide by. Although there are no meetings planned for the next couple of months I will continue to offer these short Oasis articles to keep you informed, as best I can, as to what is going on relative to the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club. So, stay tuned and stay informed.

With all of that in mind, our next event is the picnic on Wednesday, August 16th and our next business meeting will be at the Beaverton ELKS Club at 12 noon on Wednesday, September 20, 2017. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call. Hope to see all of you at the picnic and don’t forget the new time and place for our September meeting.

Have a great and safe 4th.

President Herb Richardson

June 2017

We had a very nice attendance for our meeting at the Peppermill Restaurant in March and a well-received presentation by Davene Dietzler-Marihart, the Director of Business Development at the Shriners Hospital – Portland.
Thanks to all who ventured out for the meeting and comradery.

For our meeting in May (which has obviously passed) we were scheduled to have a presentation by a representative of the Tuality Hospital who was going to tell us about their hospital system and their association with the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). If you recall this speaker was scheduled for a presentation in February but, for some unknown reason, failed to attend. I hope this one came off without a hitch.

As has been previously announced at our meetings for the past two months, the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club will NOT be meeting in June, July or August so enjoy your summer vacations. Our next event will be our annual picnic at Cook Park in Tigard at the same fine shelter as in years past and we look forward to another good turn-out.
The date is Wednesday, August 16th from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. So, mark that on your calendars right now. I think we will keep the same bill-of-fare as last year with fried chicken and all the fixens provided by the club. Ladies feel free to bring a “small” desert of your choosing.

Our next business meeting will be at the ELKS Lodge in Beaverton on Wednesday September 20th at 12 noon. Please NOTE the change in location and time.
Nobles please bring your Fez but DO NOT wear it into the Lodge. We will adorn our headdress in the meeting room when we convene. There will be a light buffet lunch at a fixed price. I don’t yet have the exact cost but I am thinking it will be around 10 bucks. We will collect the fee at the door when you come in so try and have the exact change when you arrive. NO CREDIT cards please. As we refine this new meeting venue I will keep you posted throughout the coming months, so stay tuned. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

Enjoy your summer.

President Herb Richardson

May 2017

We had a great turn-out for our March meeting at the Peppermill Restaurant in Aloha. After a short business meeting, we enjoyed a wonderful buffet prepared by the restaurant featuring corned beef and cabbage to honor St. Patrick.

After the meal, we were treated to a very special program of the presentation of our West Queen Rebecca Mobley and the West Co-Captain Jordan Nerski. Both Rebecca and Jordan gave excellent oral presentations about their experiences and backgrounds. Photographer Art Thompson gave us a nice photo spread in the April Oasis. I hope you all saw that. Thanks Art. If you missed this program, you missed a good one.

For our meeting in April (which is obviously past) we were scheduled to meet our new Shriners Hospital Director of Business Development, Davene Dietzler-Marihart, and hear what wonderful things she will be bringing to our hospital. Next month, May, we will feature a speaker from the Tuality Hospital who will be speaking to us about their hospital system and their association with OHSU. It should be very interesting so I hope you don’t miss it. You may recall that this was the speaker we were scheduled to have in February but for some unknown reason he failed to show.

Also at the May meeting we will be bidding a fond farewell to the Peppermill Restaurant which has served us for many years as our Wednesday meeting place. As has been announced we will not be meeting in June, July or August so enjoy your summer vacations. Our next event will be our annual picnic at Cook Park in Tigard at the same fine shelter as in years past and we look forward to another good turnout. The date is Wednesday, August 16th from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. So mark your calendars right now. I think we will keep the same bill-of-fare as last year with fried chicken and all the fixens provided by the club. Ladies feel free to bring a “small” desert of your choosing. And then when we get together in the fall we will be meeting at the Beaverton ELKS Club on the 3rd Wednesday at 1200 noon. Our first meeting at the ELKS will be September 20, 2017.

Happy May Day, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. Enjoy your summer.

President Herb Richardson

April 2017

I never thought I would say this but whoever has been praying for rain ---- would you please stop it. I am very much ready for some spring weather and getting outdoors again. Also, because I am a member of the Oriental Band, I am looking forward to our Parade Season. The first one is this month in The Dalles. So, bring on the spring weather and the cherry blossoms. I am ready.

Thanks to everyone who showed up at the Peppermill for the February meeting. We had a great dinner meeting but for some reason our guest speaker failed to show so we had a lot of ad-libbing to fill the evening. I am also hopeful that our big March meeting went off without a hitch. We were scheduled to have, as our special guests, West Queen Rebecca Mobley and West Co-Captain Jordan Nerski. Plus, invited members of the Divan and the Shurtah Club. That and our planned buffet of corned beef and cabbage, in honor of Saint Patrick, should have made for a very interesting evening.

The Tualatin Valley Shrine Club has received confirmation on our reservation for the Cook Park picnic shelter so we are go for that annual event. Mark your calendar for August 16th at Cook Park in Tigard for the annual club picnic and some ‘mystery’ entertainment. It’s planned to be in the same location under shelter #4 starting at 5:00 p.m...

Now, are you ready for a change? If you were not at the March 15th meeting of the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club this may come as a surprise to some. We are going back to the Beaverton Elks. Starting in September we are going to be meeting at the Elks Club in Beaverton at 12:00 noon for buffet lunch and business meetings. The first meeting is September 20, 2017 at 12:00 noon and we will stay with the third Wednesday for the time being. So, mark your calendar now. Third Wednesday, 12:00 noon, Beaverton Elks, 3500 SW 104th Ave., Beaverton, Oregon (Enter the club on 106th Ave). I want to thank our 2nd Vice President Noble Bob Strong for setting this up for us and I want you to know that Secretary Rod and his lady Sherry and Maureen and I had a wonderful lunch in their brand-new facility and we were very pleased. We hope you will be too and we are looking forward to the change.

Our next business meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 and our scheduled guest speaker is Davene Dietzler-Marihart, Shriners Hospital Director of Business Development. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

I hope you have a Blessed Easter and are looking forward to wonderful things in the months to come.

President Herb Richardson

February 2017

If you missed the December Christmas Party and the installation of Tualatin Valley Shrine Club Officers for the year 2017 let me bring you up to date. Your new President is Herb Richardson, the First Vice President is Ralph Jubb, the Second Vice President is Bob Strong, and the Secretary/ Treasurer is Rod Hevland. In other words, the same as last year. The installation was conducted by our Outer Guard and Potentates Representative Larry Evey. I also want to thank everyone who brought a wrapped Christmas present to the meeting and a big thanks to Bernie Stanfill for conducting another rousing round of “pass the present” again this year. It was much fun. Thanks Bernie.

I have nothing on my agenda for this month’s meeting in the way of entertainment but I think Rod and Sherry are planning to share some of the photos of various Shrine Hospitals taken during their recent travels. That should be most interesting so I hope many of you were able to make it to the meeting. For our meeting this month we are expecting a very interesting presenter from the Tuality Hospital to come speak to us about their hospital system and their association with OHSU. It should be very interesting and I hope you don’t miss this meeting. And don’t forget to bring those bottles and cans to the next meeting for our recycling fund raiser.

The next business meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2017. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@ comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

Happy Valentine’s Day

President Herb Richardson

January 2017

Well folks we made it through another year. I know it was difficult for some and what seemed to be impossible for
others. Never-the-less here we are in 2017 already. Time to put away the Christmas toys, take down the tree and stash
those outside lights for another year. Also, time to pay those club dues of $20.00 if you have not yet done so. We
wouldn’t want to drop you from the roles for none dues payment.

If you missed the election of Tualatin Valley Shrine Club Officers for the year 2017 last month let me bring you up
to date. Your new President is Herb Richardson, the First Vice President is Ralph Jubb, the Second Vice President is
Bob Strong, and the Secretary/Treasurer is Rod Hevland. In other words, the same as last year. Which, by the way, is
perfectly legal to do the same positions two years in a row. Any more than that requires a special dispensation from
the Potentate. The new (old) Officers were duly installed during the December meeting.

I have nothing on my agenda for this month’s meeting in the way of entertainment or enlightenment. (Is that a good
word?) Oh, well, it works for me. If we come up with a speaker or interesting presenter for the January meeting, I
will put a notice in the email. And don’t forget to bring those bottles and cans to the next meeting for our recycling
fund raiser.

The next business meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of
Farmington and Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, January 18, 2017. If anything changes between now and
then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

Happy New Year.

2016

President Herb Richardson

December 2016

As incredible as it may seem, December is here already and Christmas is well upon us. So, speaking of Christmas, I’ll put this
plan right up front. At our Christmas meeting on December 21st we will do the “Bernie Stanfill” present exchange. I will leave
it to Bernie to explain the rules prior to the game. But we must all prepare ahead of time. That will require that every person
who attends the party must bring a wrapped present. All must be a surprise gift. Keep them low cost and try to get creative. Enough
said on that subject.

We hope you attended our November meeting and heard our guest speaker Brian Stafki who gave us some insight into the Washington
County Solid Waste and Recycling Program. Remember to be sure to bring your collection of bottles and cans to our meetings so we
can continue with our recycling program and putting a few bucks in our bank account.

Speaking of bank account, we will be getting notices out to everyone for next year’s dues payment. I think the dues are
still $20.00 but I must check with our Treasurer to make sure.

We were scheduled to have nominations for Tualatin Valley Shrine Club Officers for the year 2017 during the November meeting. This
had to be rescheduled because we had canceled the October meeting and first nominations We will have a final vote and election with
installation planned for this December meeting.

The next business meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of Farmington and
Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, January 18, 2017. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by
mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb at comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

Have a Very Merry Christmas and enjoy a welcome New Year.

President Herb Richardson

November 2016

I am looking forward to this month’s meeting and our guest speaker Brian Stafki. Brian is the Senior Program Educator for Washington
County Solid Waste and Recycling Program. Be sure to bring your collection of bottles and cans to this meeting so we can demonstrate
our involvement with waste management. It also puts a few bucks in our bank account.

Speaking of bank account, we will be getting notices out to everyone for next year’s dues payment. I think the dues are still $20.00
but I will have to check with our Treasurer to make sure.

If it’s November already then it’s time to consider a Shrine Club Christmas Party for next month. If anyone has an idea for a Christmas
event theme or some form of entertainment, please let us know now so we can get some plans put in place. Perhaps a singing group or
instrumental. Give us your ideas to work with and we’ll get moving. We’ll plan on having the Christmas party on our regular meeting
date of December 21st.

According to my calendar it looks like we should have had first nominations for Tualatin Valley Shrine Club Officers for the year 2017
during the October meeting. At this month’s meeting we will have a final vote and election with installation planned for the December meeting.

The next business meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of Farmington and
Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, November 16, 2016. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail,
email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@ comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.

Have a great Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps on November 10th.

President Herb Richardson

October 2016

Here it is October already and time to get ready for the Al Kader Haunted House, costume parties and to get stocked up for the
trick-or-treaters. The next thing you know we will be talking about the dreaded winter season which will be upon us before we know it.

I hope you all enjoyed the annual Tualatin Valley Shrine Club picnic in August and I also hope that you also enjoyed the fellowship
and entertainment provided by the members of the Oriental Band and their ladies who came out to join in the festivities. So, to the
loyal members of the Oriental Band a big THANK YOU.

This month we will hold our first nominations for new officers of the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club for 2017. So get those future
leaders ready to step up to the plate and willing to serve us next year. A final vote will be held in November with installation
in December 2016. Just a reminder that the current slate of officers can serve a second consecutive term with the Potentates approval.

I am not sure what was planned for October’s speaker or entertainment but in November we will have Brian Stafki, the Senior
Program Educator for Washington County Solid Waste and Recycling Program come speak to us. It should be an interesting program
so I do hope to see many of you at the meeting. I really don’t have much else to report on this month so I’ll just say that our
next business meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of Farmington and
Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by
mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@ comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711

Happy Halloween.

President Herb Richardson

September 2016

Well here it is September already and the summer time fun, parades, picnics, and time at the beach are just memories. It is now time to pack up
the toys of summer and get back to business. Oh, and let us not forget to mind those school speed zones once more.

Thanks to everyone for coming out to our annual picnic in August but a special thanks goes out to the Oriental Band for joining in the fun
and for the entertainment. Much thanks also to the ladies for bringing those cookies and deserts.

I really don’t have much else to report on this month so I’ll just say that our next business meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill
Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, September 21, 2016. If
anything changes between now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

August 2016

Tualatin Valley Shrine Club by President Herb Richardson Wow, here it is August already and we are all
set for our Tualatin Valley Shrine Club annual picnic at Cook Park in Tigard on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 starting at 5:00 pm. We are
going to be at the same place as years past. To find it, upon entering Cook Park on 92 Ave., proceed to the first street on the left
and go to the end which will be a turnaround with parking. We will be in the shelter just to the South of the parking lot.

This year’s picnic is going to be about the same as last year. The Shrine Club will be providing everything from soup to nuts. Actually we won’t
be serving soup but we will have lots of fried chicken. But, we are going to ask the ladies to bring along some cookies as dessert. Again
we have invited the Al Kader Oriental Band to join us for the feast and as our entertainment. I can guarantee you that you will enjoy
this event. So make your plans now and get this on your calendars right this minute.

Although there will be no meeting this month I will continue to offer these short Oasis articles to keep you informed, as best I can, as
to what is going on relative to the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club. So stay tuned and stay informed.

With all of that in mind, our next business meeting will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of
Farmington and Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, September 21st. If anything changes between now and then I’ll let you
know by mail, email or phone call.

See you at the picnic.

President Herb Richardson

July 2016

Our Tualatin Valley Shrine Club is still in darkness
which provides us the opportunity to enjoy our
summertime activities, but I will continue to make
a concerted effort to keep everyone informed
as to what is going on in our little Masonic
community. The one thing that is up on my
radar screen is our Shrine Club annual picnic at
Cook Park in Tigard on Wednesday, August 17th
starting at 5:00 pm. I think we will keep the same
bill-of-fare as last year with fried chicken and all

the fixens provided by the club. Ladies feel free to
bring a “small” desert of your choosing. As in past
years we have again invited the Award Winning Al
Kader Oriental Band to join us for the picnic and
entertainment. You will not want to miss this so
get it on your calendar right now.

If you missed the May meeting at the Peppermill
Restaurant we are so sorry you were not able
to make it. We had an excellent attendance with
twelve Nobles and eight ladies present. Dr. Aiona
from Shriners Hospital was our guest speaker
and delivered a very interesting talk about
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI).

Although there are no meetings planned for the
next couple of months I will continue to offer
these short Oasis articles to keep you informed,
as best I can, as to what is going on relative to the
Tualatin Valley Shrine Club. So stay tuned and
stay informed.

With all of that in mind, our next event is the
picnic on Wednesday, August 17th and our
next business meeting will be at the Peppermill
Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road,
(Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman Road),
Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, September 21,
2016. If anything changes between now and then
I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call. Hope
to see all of you at the picnic.

Have a great and safe 4th.

President Herb Richardson

June 2016

We had a low turn-out for our April meeting at
the Peppermill Restaurant in Aloha. Perhaps
there were just too many things going on or else
nobody was interested in my video presentations.
No mater, we will do better when things get going
in the fall. Regardless of the attendance we had
a short business meeting and then enjoyed a
wonderful meal prepared by the Peppermill
restaurant featuring their new “lighter” menu.

For our meeting in May (which has obviously
passed) we were scheduled to have Dr. Aiona
from Shriners Hospital come speak to us about
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). I do hope that
many of you folks were able to attend this meeting
and the presentation as Dr. Aiona is a renowned
expert and wonderful presenter.

As has been previously announced at our
meetings for the past two months, the Tualatin
Valley Shrine Club will NOT be meeting in June,
July or August so enjoy your summer vacations.
Our next event will be our annual picnic at Cook
Park in Tigard at the same fine shelter as in years
past and we look forward to another good turnout.
The date is Wednesday, August 17th from 5:00
pm until 8:00 pm. So mark that on your calendars
right now. I think we will keep the same bill-of-fare
as last year with fried chicken and all the fixens
provided by the club. Ladies feel free to bring a
“small” desert of your choosing.

Our next business meeting will be at the
Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington
Road, (Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman
Road), Aloha at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday,
September 21, 2016. If anything changes between
now and then I’ll let you know by mail, email or
phone call.

Enjoy your summer.

Noble Rod Hevland

May 2016

We had a great turn-out for our March meeting at
the Peppermill Restaurant in Aloha. After a short
business meeting we enjoyed a wonderful meal
prepared by the restaurant featuring their new
“lighter” menu and a special item of corned beef
and cabbage to honor St. Patrick.

After the meal we were treated to a very special
program presented by Mr. Lou Lambert, a senior
partner with Fusion Surgical, who gave us a video
presentation and demonstrated the products they
use in the treatment of Scoliosis at the Shriners
Hospital. The product involves metal rods along
the spine using minimally invasive surgical
techniques and magnetic adjustments without
additional surgery. It was very interesting. If you
missed this program, you missed a good one.

For our meeting in April (which is past obviously)
I think we were going to have a Shriners
International video presentation if I was able to
pull it off. Technology has a way of keeping me
humble so I have no way knowing how that went.
But, for our meeting this month we are scheduled
to have Dr. Aiona from Shriners Hospital come
speak to us about Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI).
You do not want to miss this meeting so hope to
see you on May 20th.

As was announced at the March 16th meeting, the
Tualatin Valley Shrine Club will NOT be meeting
in June, July or August so enjoy your summer
vacations. Our next event will be our annual picnic
at Cook Park in Tigard at the same fine shelter as
in years past and we look forward to another good
turn-out. The date is Wednesday, August 17th
from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. So mark that on your
calendars right now. I think we will keep the same
bill-of-fare as last year with fried chicken and all
the fixens provided by the club. Ladies feel free to
bring a “small” desert of your choosing.

Our next business will be at the Peppermill
Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road,
(Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman Road),
Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, September 21,
2016. If anything changes between now and then
I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

Happy May Day, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day.
Enjoy your summer.

Noble Herb Richardson

April 2016

I am sorry folks but I have a very bad case of
“Spring Fever” and can’t seem to get a thing
done. I just want to be outside enjoying walks in
the park, seeing the daffodils blooming, and the
cherry blossoms making their appearance. I love
it all. It’s my very favorite time of year.

Thanks to everyone who showed up at the Peppermill
for the February meeting. We had a great dinner
meeting and the Peppermill Restaurant set up their
new seniors menu with some of your favorite dishes.
The meeting was well attended with yours truly
presiding as the new president.

We want to thank Jackie De-Vore who gave us an
excellent presentation about the nutrition services
department at the Shriners Hospital. She also
presented information regarding the annual food
caravan and how the hospital deals with all of the
produce coming in from the generous folks out in
the far reaches of the state. Now we know what they
do with the six-tons of onions the hospital gets every
year. If you were at the meeting you know the answer
but if you were not there I am not going to reveal the
solution.

The Tualatin Valley Shrine Club has received
confirmation on our reservation for the Cook Park
picnic shelter so we are go for that annual event.
Mark your calendar for August 17th at Cook Park in
Tigard for the annual club picnic and some ‘mystery’
entertainment. It’s planned to be in the same location
under shelter #4 starting at 5:00pm.

Don’t forget to bring in those bottles and cans for our
recently launched fund raiser set up by our Secretary/
Treasurer Rod Hevland. His program has already
started to show financial gains to our meager bank
account and we want to make this a big success.

Our next business meeting and dinner will be at the
Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road,
(Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman Road),
Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, April 20, 2016. If
anything changes between now and then I’ll let you
know by mail, email or phone call.

I hope you had a Blessed Easter and we look forward
to wonderful things in the months to come.

Noble Rod Hevland

February 2016

The Tualatin Valley Shrine Club held their
meeting at the Pepper Mill Restaurant in Aloha
on Wednesday, January 20th. We were honored
to have IS John Nerski and Lady Pat join us.
During the meeting we elected a Vice President.
Our officers: President, Noble Herb Richardson,
Vice President, Noble Ralph Jubb, and Secretary/
Treasurer, Noble Rod Hevland, were then installed
by IS John. We enjoyed another great meal
prepared by the Pepper Mill.

All Nobles and their ladies who live the Tualatin
Valley are encouraged to join us on the Third
Wednesday of each month, for good fellowship
and a good meal.

2015

Noble Rod Hevland

October 2015

We had a very successful picnic, on a very warm,
August 16 at Cooks Park in Tigard. The Oriental
Band again provided the entertainment.

We are looking for some guest speakers who
would be willing to share their special interest
with our club. They don’t have to be a member
of the Shrine. If you know of some one who has a
presentation that might interest our group please
contact our President or Secretary as follows:

Our meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill
Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road,
(Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman
Road), Aloha on Wednesday, October 21, 2015
with a social time at 5:00 pm and dinner served at
6:00 pm. Noble living in the Tualatin Valley are
request to join us.

Noble Rod Hevland

August 2015

At our June meeting, attended by 17 nobles, 17
ladies and 5 guests, heard our guest speaker, Tom
Styczynski, talk about the construction of the
Hubble Telescope. While some of his talk was
a little technical, we learned a great deal about
how the Hubble was build and how the astronauts
trained to repair it in space. All in all his talk was
very interesting and well received.

Our August meeting will be a celebration of
summer with our annual picnic at Cook’s Park in
Tigard on Wednesday, August 19, at 5 PM. As
always, the club will provide the chicken and
drinks. We ask the ladies to bring a salad or
dessert. There will be entertainment. All Nobles,
their wives and friends are welcome. Hope to see
you there.

Noble Rod Hevland

July 2015

We had a great meeting in May. Noble Ken
Hall and Noble Richard Martin, PGM, from the
Shurtah Shrine Club visited and crowned the West
Queen for this year’s East/West game.

Queen Skylar Mooneyham spoke for a few
minutes. Also in attendance was Thaddeo Pia who
is the West Honorary Co-Captain, sponsored by
the Yamhill Shrine Club, who also spoke.
(see photos on page 16).

At our June meeting we will have a guest speaker,
Tom Styczynski, a retired Senior Engineer from
Lockheed Martin who worked for 25 years on the
Hubble Telescope project. Stysczynski specialized
on training the astronauts who went into space to
repair and upgrade the Telescope – a total of five flights. The knowledge gained through the Hubble
is beyond expressing and has changed the entire
concept of mankind and the universe we live in.

We will not have a July or August meeting, but we
celebrate the summer with our annual picnic at
Cook’s Park in Tigard on Wednesday August 19, at
5 PM. As always, the club will provide the chicken
and drinks. We ask the ladies to bring a salad or
dessert. There will be entertainment. All Nobles,
their wives and friends are welcome.

Noble Bill Blankenship

June 2015

Sunshine and beautiful weather today, seems
to be a prediction of a warm and early summer.
Traditionally for Shriners, the good weather also
signals a busy time of parades, picnics and special
projects.

The April meeting of our Shrine Club was well
attended and featured a speaker from the Masonic
Philalethes Society.

Brother Mark Phillips (32”), from the Newport
Lodge was chosen by the Society as our speaker,
and who lectured on Masonic Landmarks of the
past two centuries.

The Society usually presents programs to Masonic
Lodges within the Grand Lodge of Oregon, so
Brother Phillips modified his lecture to be
appropriate for this “Un-tilled” audience.

It turned out that our guest, who was not a
Shriner, was himself lectured by some of our
members, on the benefits and privileges of
becoming a Noble of the Mystic Shrine... So it was
that at our Spring Ceremonial, on Saturday the
9th, Brother Mark Phillips was elevated to the
honor of Nobility of the Mystic Shrine. Noble
Mark was “Fezed” by his lady and welcomed into
the Shrine by IS Tom Bland, who left his hospital
bed to be present and to welcome the new Nobles.

Now looking ahead, this coming Meeting of the
Tualatin Club, Wednesday the 20th, we will be
honored by hosting the West Queen and Honorary
Captain, of the East/West Shrine Football game,
along with their parents.

The young Shrine Royalty will speak to the Club,
and as a special feature, a delegation from the
Shurtah Shrine Club will greet our new Queen and
perform the ceremony of Crowning the Queen.

We can now look forward to seeing these two
young representatives of the East/West game as
they participate in Shrine parades this summer, as
they prepare for the game in Baker City.

Lest we forget, the meeting of the Tualatin Club
on June 17, will feature a presentation of special
interest in honor of the 25th launching of the
Hubble Telescope. Tom Styczynski,, retired
senior engineer from Lockheed Martin, will be
with us to bring a presentation of his work on that
groundbreaking space project.

Noble IS Bob Walliker will assist with the visual
power point aids.

The Club will then be dark until the August 19th
picnic at Cook Park... where we will be joined by
the Shrine Oriental Band who will entertain and
join us at the tables.

Noble Herb Richardson

May 2015

I cannot believe that it is the First of May already
and that I can’t seem to get the image of a
“May Pole” out of my head. How many people
remember dancing around the May Pole with the
colorful ribbons and weaving the intricate pattern
on the pole? Does anyone do that anymore? Oh,
the crazy things we do remember.

Among the activities, don’t forget the many
parades coming up and the opportunities to get
involved with the general public. Even if you are
not participating with a unit in a parade, please
come out and enjoy them if you can.

We had a great turn-out for our March meeting at
the Peppermill Restaurant with 14 Nobles and 8
ladies present. After a wonderful meal prepared
by the Peppermill restaurant, which featured
corned beef and cabbage to honor St. Patrick,
the meeting took on the serious business of how
we were going to support the East-West Football
Committee. After the more serious business
President Bill gave us history of the Church and
the fable of St. Patrick who actually was the leader
of a group of mercenaries who had the job of
expelling the heretics from Ireland and restoring
the True Church...from which we have the fable of Patrick expelling the snakes from Ireland.

I have been informed that the Tualatin Valley Shrine
Club has a signed agreement with the City of Tigard
for our annual picnic at Cook Park again this year. We
hope to have the same fine shelter as in years past and
we look forward to another good turn-out. The date is
Wednesday, August 19th from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm.
So mark that on your calendars right now. I think we
will keep the same bill-of-fare as last year with fried
chicken and all the fixens provided by the club. Ladies
feel free to bring a “small” desert of your choosing.

Our schedule of meetings in the coming months,
will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW
Farmington Road, (Intersection of Farmington and
Kinnaman) The April meeting, Wednesday the 15th,
will feature Brother ( 32” ) Mark Phillips, who is a
speaker from the Philalethes Society, and is currently
the Senior Deacon of Newport Lodge #85. He will
be showing and speaking on Masonic Landmarks that
have developed from the 18th Century to today. In
May, Wednesday the 20th, we will have as guests the
West Football royalty, Queen Skylar, who is sponsored
by the Shurtah Club, and Honorary Co-Captain
Thaddeo, who is sponsored by the Yamhill Club.
They will be sharing their Hospital experiences and
personal stories. In June, Wednesday the 17th, we
will have what should be one of the high lights of the
year....Tom Styczynski, who is retired from Lockheed
Martin as Senior Staff Engineer, who helped design
and build the Hubble Space Telescope program. This
is the anniversary of the 25th year of the launch and
the telescope is still sending fantastic pictures of the
universe. Styczynski will present an insight into the
training astronauts who serviced the telescope in
space. Noble IS Bob Walliker will be assisting with
the Power-Point on the LCD/TV.

And if that is not enough, we can look forward to
July when we will be in Baker City for the annual
East-West Shrine Football game, and then our
annual picnic in August. Spread the word about our
Spring and Summer programs and invite your friends
and neighbors to join us at dinner and enjoy some
excellent programs.

Noble Herb Richardson

April 2015

I am sorry folks but I have had a very bad case
of “Spring Fever” and can’t seem to get a thing
done. I just want to be outside enjoying walks in
the park, seeing the daffodils blooming, and the
cherry blossoms making their appearance. I love
it all. It’s my very favorite time of year.

Thanks to everyone who showed up at the
Peppermill for the February meeting. We had
a great dinner meeting and the Peppermill
Restaurant set up their short menu with some
of your favorite dishes. The meeting was well
attended with 11 Nobles and 6 ladies present and
was presided over by President Bill Blankinship.

I have not received any word yet from our
Secretary Rod Hevland regarding the reservation
for the Cook Park picnic shelter so I can only
assume that we are still a go for that event. So
mark your calendar for August 19th at Cook Park
in Tigard for the annual Tualatin Valley Shrine
Club picnic and some ‘mystery’ entertainment.
If this changes between now and then, we’ll let
you know. Oh, and it’s planned to be in the same
location under shelter #4 starting at 5:00pm.

At the February meeting, Vice President Herb
(that’s me) presented a United States flag that
had flown on a 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance
Squadron combat mission over Afghanistan on
June 22, 2014 in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom. I will be giving that flag to the Tualatin
Valley Shrine Club for safe keeping.

Also at the February meeting Herb presented a
short video of his recent travel on the Amazon
River in Brazil along with some narrative about his
adventure and some insights of this amazing river.
I hope you enjoyed it if you were there.

Our next business meeting and dinner will be at
the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington
Road, (Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman
Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, April 15,
2015. If anything changes between now and then
I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

Hoping you have a Blessed Easter.

Noble Herb Richardson

March 2015

We had a great dinner meeting in January and
a very nice attendance with 16 Nobles and 11
ladies present. Our newly elected offi
cers were
installed in their positions with Bill Blankenship
as President, yours truly Herb Richardson as
First Vice President, Dave Beach as Second Vice
President, and last, but certainly not least, Rod
Hevland as Secretary and Treasurer. We have not,
in many years, selected a Chaplain or committees
to oversee membership or grievances. We might
also consider a separation of the Treasurer and
Secretary positions as those are both big jobs. Just
something to consider in the future.

Speaking of the future, here is a warming thought.
We should have, at this publication date, approval
and confi
rmation for our summer picnic. So mark
your calendar for August 19th at Cook Park in
Tigard for the annual Tualatin Valley Shrine Club
picnic and entertainment. No, I have no idea what
the entertainment will be but you will want to be
there for sure. Oh, and it’s in the same location
under shelter #4. Now isn’t that a nice warming
thought.

If I managed to pull it off, you may have enjoyed
the small video I was planning for the February
meeting of our trip on the Amazon River. As I
started working on putting this together I found
that it required an almost continuous dialog.
Normally my videos are the natural sounds with
some background music to fi
ll in the lulls and a
few on-screen visuals to explain a scene or view.
This one presented some interesting challenges
and therefore a different approach. I hope you
enjoyed it.

Our next business meeting and dinner will be at
the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington
Road, (Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman
Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, March 18,
2015. If anything changes between now and then
someone will let you know by mail, email or phone
call.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy the First Day of
Spring on March 20th.

Noble Herb Richardson

February 2015

In my December article I mentioned the Maureen
and I would be away on our long awaited Amazon
cruise which, in fact, did happen. The end result
was we missed the November 19th meeting as we
sat in Ft. Lauderdale waiting to board our cruise
ship the next day. And then for the December 17th
Christmas party we were at sea, one day away
from returning to Ft. Lauderdale. So, although we
missed a couple of the club’s comings and goings,
we had an awesome cruise/vacation and if I ever
get caught up on things here at home, I will put
together some video of our adventure and would
love to share it with all of you in the not to distant
future.

My understanding is that the Tualatin Valley
Shrine Club did, in fact, come up with a full
slate of officers for next year and that nominees
were duly elected at the December meeting.
Congratulations, and a big thank you, to President
Bill Blankenship, First Vice President Herb
Richardson, Second Vice President Dave Beach
and Secretary/Treasurer Rod Hevland. I hope
everyone was at the January 21st meeting for the
swearing in of our officers for the year 2015.
I have no idea what our new President Bill has
cooked up for our future meetings but I am sure
they will be entertaining and will meet all of our
expectations. But as a warm and cozy thought
for this first of February -- only six more weeks of
Winter ahead of us.

The next business meeting and dinner will be at
the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington
Road, (Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman
Road), Aloha on Wednesday, February 18, 2015
with a social time at 5:00 pm and dinner served
at 6:00 pm. If anything changes between now
and then somebody will let you know by email or
phone call.

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Noble Herb Richardson

December 2014

In my November article I mentioned the Maureen and I would be
away on our long awaited Amazon cruise. According to my
schedule, if this is about December 1st, that is where we are.
Yesterday (November 30) we were supposed to be in the city of
Macapa, Brazil. One of the interesting sites in this town is that the
Equator goes through the center of town. There is a park with an
Equatorial Line Monument where you can stand with one foot in
the Northern Hemisphere and the other foot in the Southern
Hemisphere. The line cuts across the fifty-yard line of a high
school football field where the kids really do play the North
against the South.

At the November meeting of the Tualatin Valley Shrine Club we
were scheduled to hold second nominations for Club officers for
the year 2015. As you may recall, if you were in attendance at the
October meeting, Bob Strong announced that he desired to
withdraw from the line. So the nominations were for President; Bill
Blankenship, and First Vice President; Herb Richardson. There
were no nominations for Second Vice President, Secretary or
Treasurer. Hopefully those slots were filled at the November
meeting. Final votes and elections will be this month with the
installation of new officer at the meeting in January 2015.

I have no idea what President Ralph has cooked up for the
December Christmas Party but I am sure that it will be entertaining
and will meet all of your expectations. Don't forget those
wrapped presents for the gift exchange.
The next business meeting, buffet dinner and Christmas Party will
be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road,
(Intersection of Farmington and Kinnaman Road), Aloha on
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 with a social time at 5:00 PM
and dinner served at 6:00 PM. If anything changes between now
and then somebody will let you know by, email or phone call.

Have a very Merry Christmas and the very best for the New Year.

Noble Herb Richardson

November 2014

Okay, it's November already and time to consider a Shrine Club Christmas Party for next month. If anyone has an idea for a
Christmas event theme or some form of entertainment please let President Ralph know now so we can get some plans put in
place. Perhaps a singing group or instrumental. Give us your ideas to work with and we'll get moving. We'll plan on having the
Christmas party on our regular meeting date of December 17th.

According to my calendar it looks like we should have had first nominations for Tualatin Valley Shrine Club Officers for the year
2015 during the October meeting. At this month's meeting we will have a second call for nominations and then a final vote and
election in December. The installation of the new club officers will take place during the January 2015 meeting.

I regret that I will not be able to attend the meetings in November or December this year, but Maureen and I will be on our long
awaited cruise to the Amazon River and Brazil. I will promise a travel log and maybe some video when we return. We hope that
you have an amazing Thanksgiving Holiday and a wonderful Christmas party. We will see you in January 2015.

The next business meeting and dinner will be at the Peppermill Restaurant, 17455 SW Farmington Road, (Intersection of
Farmington and Kinnaman Road), Aloha at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, November 19, 2014. If anything changes between now and
then I’ll let you know by mail, email or phone call.

My email address is still richardsonherb@comcast.net and my home phone is 503-691-6711.